Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1902 - 1. Introduction

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### 1. Introduction

A management system contains: several (potentially many) nodes, each with a processing entity, termed an agent, which has access to management instrumentation; at least one management station; and, a management protocol, used to convey management information between the agents and management stations. Operations of the protocol are carried out under an administrative framework which defines authentication, authorization, access control, and privacy policies.

Management stations execute management applications which monitor and control managed elements. Managed elements are devices such as hosts, routers, terminal servers, etc., which are monitored and controlled via access to their management information.

Management information is viewed as a collection of managed objects, residing in a virtual information store, termed the Management Information Base (MIB). Collections of related objects are defined in MIB modules. These modules are written using an adapted subset of OSI's Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1) [1]. It is the purpose of this document, the Structure of Management Information (SMI), to define that adapted subset, and to assign a set of associated administrative values.

The SMI is divided into three parts: module definitions, object definitions, and, notification definitions.

1. Module definitions are used when describing information modules. An ASN.1 macro, MODULE-IDENTITY, is used to concisely convey the semantics of an information module.

2. Object definitions are used when describing managed objects. An ASN.1 macro, OBJECT-TYPE, is used to concisely convey the syntax and semantics of a managed object.

3. Notification definitions are used when describing unsolicited transmissions of management information. An ASN.1 macro, NOTIFICATION-TYPE, is used to concisely convey the syntax and semantics of a notification.

1.1. A Note on Terminology

Next: 1.1. A Note on Terminology

Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1902 - 1. Introduction